The Donation
by AvngAngl
Summary: The Girls decide to help another woman in need. What will be the guys reactions.


_**Disclaimer: **_I do not own one thing about Criminal Minds or the characters. I just like to play with them quite a bit. Nor do I own or represent Locks of Love. None of what I portray is based on fact regarding that organization but I do support them in their endeavors.

_**The Donation**_

Garcia had bounced into JJ's office when she saw Emily go in. She wanted to ask the girls to join her in doing something. It was a big something but for a very good cause. As she flopped down on the second chair in JJ's office she let out a typical Penelope exasperated sigh.

"Girls, I want to ask you both to help me do something."

"What is it Pen? You look out of breath." Emily tried to comfort her friend.

"Well you know Megan, my friend from my support group?" Garcia asked.

"Yeah, we've met her and a couple other ladies at the Chinese Food buffet right? JJ responded.

"Yep. Yep that's her" Garcia began "Well you see about 6 months ago Megan was diagnosed with second stage breast cancer."

JJ and Emily gasped at this news. There was the obvious rounds of "Is she alright? Is she in remission?" from the two women.

"Yes, thankfully she's doing well. Her Doctor has a great deal of hope that once chemotherapy is over she'll be alright." Garcia explained.

"Ohh thank god" JJ said sincerely.

"Well there's one thing though, the chemo has taken its toll on her as you can imagine and she's lost all her hair. She's been wearing head scarves, but she'd really like to get a custom human haired wig. To make her feel pretty again." Garcia kept going. "The thing is that these wigs are so damn expensive. And there is no way that with all her medical expenses after the insurance company pays that she can pay for a wig."

"Can we make a donation?" JJ asked innocently.

"Well now that you said something there is away for you guys to help. You see the organization that makes the wigs is called "Locks of Love ™. This organization will donate a custom wig to any cancer patient or survivor if that patients can bring at least three other people to their donation center to donate their hair." Garcia took a deep breath after getting the proposal out.

"What?" Emily gasped shocked. JJ just nodded her head.

"I'd ask the other women in the group but according to the requirements a woman's hair has to have the ability to have at 'least' inches off. None of the women at the group have long enough hair." Garcia explained. Watching the looks of her two friends. Their faces went from shock, to understanding, to acceptance, to? Was it possible they'd be willing to do this with her? "Look I'm going to donate anyway. It's a great cause, and it's for women. We've all known or heard about women going through chemo and let's face it the farthest thing from most doctor's minds when it comes to their female patients is their femininity. I think it's just a small price to pay to give a woman back her dignity. I put my own hair in a ponytail and measured 18 inches, so I'm good. I figured I'd ask you guys but you're not obligated."

Emily looked at JJ and JJ looked at Emily. Together they both looked at Penny and said "We're in."

Garcia studied her friend's faces and was so touched by the sincerity she saw she jumped up and hugged them both.

"Oh thank you, thank you, thank you….God has a special place for friends like you guys." Garcia bubbled. "Here I have a hair tie let's measure you both now." And she held up a black hair tie.

First Emily went, and they figured she had at least 15 inches to spare, and that wouldn't leave her hair too short to style nicely. Then JJ went and both the girls were surprised when her hair measured 24 inches.

"wow Jayje, when was the last time you cut your hair?" Emily whistled.

" I was seven" JJ said proudly. "So Pen what happens next?" she asked.

"Well I will tell Megan and we'll call Locks of Love ™ to set a date and time to make the donation. And I'll get back to you both. I mean we do have to work around cases and stuff so it might be awhile."

The three girls agreed to let Penny set it all up and went about their daily routine. JJ and Emily both felt good about what they were going to do. Although JJ wondered what the guys of the unit would say when one day all three women came in with short hair.

**Two Weeks Later**

The team was sitting in the BAU room discussing a local case when Garcia came barreling in yelling for Emily and JJ

"OH there you both are" she exclaimed.

Aaron Hotchner their unit chief had just finished presenting the case to the team when Garcia barged in and he wasn't too happy. "Garcia is there a problem?" he said sternly.

"OH boss man… I'm sorry no no there's no problem. I just found out the date and time for an appointment the girls and I have and I needed to tell them so I can confirm its ok."

"What appointment?" Morgan asked curiously.

"Never mind Morgan, it's a girl thing" Emily tried to silence the dark skinned profiler.

"Yeah what appointment" Dave Rossi queried arching his eyebrow at the women.

"Dave, it's nothing, really" JJ said "Just some charity thing Penny got Em and I to agree too" JJ thought that would pacify the men. But boy was she wrong.

"Charity thing JJ?" Hotch asked "We're still working on a case, although it's a local case as your supervisor I would need to know what this was about in case you're going to be missing time during this case" Hotch asked all business like, hoping the others didn't see his own curiosity peeking.

JJ was exasperated. It wasn't a big deal and it was for a good cause. The men weren't involved so why were they so interested. She noticed even Hotch was staring at her the unasked question hanging in the air. JJ realized they had two choices. One tell the truth. Two tell a lie. She didn't like option two. She looked at Pen and Em trying to see if they understood what she was thinking. Both women sighed and nodded their heads. JJ was relieved the decision was made they would tell the truth.

"Listen guys," JJ began "Penny came to Em and I a couple of weeks ago. Her friend from her support group is going through chemotherapy for breast cancer and it's taken a toll on her. Anyway, Penny asked us to help her out by donating to Locks of Love ™ so Megan can get a free custom wig to help her feel more feminine about herself. Em and I agreed to do it with her. That's all this is about" JJ sat back and folded her arms across her chest.

"That's a nice thing to do" Spence said innocently.

"Yeah baby-girl that's great thing you're doing for your friend. Hell, how much is the donation and all of us guys will kick in too?" Morgan volunteered. The four other men in the room nodded their head affirmatively.

The three girls laughed at the offer of the men to donate. But it was Penny who broke the silence "Donation is at least 12 inches." She stated matter of factly.

"What?" Spence was puzzled.

"Twelve inches of what?" Morgan asked shocked.

Hotch was the only one who seemed to get what Garcia was saying. And the only reason he got it was because years ago his mother died of breast cancer and he remembered her losing her hair to the chemo. Thinking of JJ donating her long silky hair both terrified him and electrified him. His loins trembled at the thought of JJ with short hair. He had been in love with her for years. Hell, probably before he was even free to think about being in love with her. He knew she was attracted to him too because if they touched even innocently during the course of the day she would jump. He also at times caught glimpses of her looking at him with lust filled eyes. Now his vision of her was going to change and it terrified him. He had day dreamed often of running his fingers through her long silken hair. Soon it would be gone and his fantasy would have to change. Sometimes God was cruel, he cursed under his breath. He had to collect himself. He was being selfish, what she was going to do was so noble, so like her. He should support her, not whine in silence of his own loss. He inhaled sharply.

"Twelve inches of their hair Derek." Hotch said matter of factly.

"Their WHAT!" the other men exclaimed.

Hotch looked at JJ, Emily and Garcia with calm understanding. He saw all three girls look to him with gratitude for his as yet unspoken support. He thought he saw a look of sadness cross JJ's face. But quickly closed his mind to that idea.

"You're donating you hair aren't you?" Hotch asked softly. The girls nodded. "That's great, really. You just tell me what day you're doing it and I guarantee you'll be available. Case or not."

"Thanks boss man" Garcia whispered in awe of her unit chief and his obvious compassion.

"It's the least I can do. You girls are the ones giving a helluva lot more. Some of you know my mother died of breast cancer when I was young. She would have liked an organization like this. So for my mom, I'll make sure you make that appointment." Hotch said sincerely.

JJ sat in her seat just staring at Hotch. God this man never ceased to amaze her. How she would love to go to him now and hug him for his support. She sat still contemplating for a moment. And finally said "What the hell!" and got up and went to Hotch and hugged him tightly whispering 'thank you' in his ear and resting her head on his chest.

Hotch was shocked as his arms involuntarily went around her to hug her back. Here he was just being honest and next minute all his wildest dreams were coming true. JJ was in his arms willingly and not pulling away. Neither one of them saw the rest of the team staring in amazement at them.

"Well that cat's finally out of the bag" Rossi laughed.

"Huh?" JJ turned to Rossi staying in Hotch's warm embrace.

"DUH! JJ," Reid said "I think all of us but the two of you realized you both had the hots for each other"

"Spencer?" Hotch looked at their boy genius.

"Yea Hotch, I might be all fumbles when it comes to women myself, however even I can see sexual attraction when it's right under my nose" Reid chuckled.

"JJ?" Em and Penny said together. "You thought you had this deep dark secret from us? Oh please girl, we've both shared a room with you. You my dear friend talk in your sleep" Emily made that last comment.

JJ buried her head farther into Hotch's embrace. However, after everyone else made their confessions of knowing how the two of them felt and how neither one of them were any good at hiding their feelings, Hotch pulled away from JJ.

He took her chin gently in his hand and tilted her head to meet his gazed then he simply asked "JJ?"

"Hotch?" was all she could manage.

"Is it true? Do you have feelings for me?" he asked tentatively.

"Yes." She answered simply.

Hotch looked quickly around the room and noticed that the rest of the team had stepped out of the room and closed the door. He turned back to the beautiful woman in his arms. "I have feelings for you too."

"You do?" JJ asked.

"Yes, probably from the first day you walked into this place. But I denied my feelings for a long time." He spoke honestly.

"I thought if I said anything to you or let on to you that I wanted more than a boss/coworker relationship you'd fire me" JJ admitted.

"I'd like to try to have a relationship with you JJ. But we'd have to stay professional here at work. I don't directly have anything to do with your rise up the FBI ladder or not so a relationship isn't really an issue as long as we can separate the professional from the private" Hotch explained hopefully.

"Really, you mean like if we were Hotch/JJ here and Aaron/Jen outside of work?" JJ questioned her eyes widening.

"Exactly!" Hotch sounded a bit triumphant.

"In that case, I'd like to have a relationship with you too Aaron." She stated quietly, and kissed the hand still cupping her chin.

"Wow." Hotch shook his head.

"Yeah WOW." JJ agreed.

"I came to work this morning the same old bleak man I always am and here now I'm happy as a damn clam. Maybe God isn't as pissed at me as I thought." He chuckled.

"Kiss me" JJ chuckled

"Yes ma'am" and he bent his head to her soft lips, gently urging her to give his tongue entrance. The heat began to build between them from the kiss. And both knew it wasn't safe any longer to keep the kiss going. Breaking away from her Aaron asked her "How about dinner tonight?"

"I'd love too. What time?" she responded.

"I'll pick you up at 8, how's that? Wear something casual, and wear your hair down for me tonight please" Hotch said expectantly.

"Ok. But what's with the hair thing? It will grow back you know." She said with a smile.

"I know Jen, I know. I just want at least one night to get that part of my fantasy to come true. I think what your doing is fantastic. Like I said before my Mom would be happy. I wish there was a group like this when she was sick." Hotch's honest touched her heart.

"I'm sorry about your Mom Aaron." It was a heartfelt statement.

"Thanks JJ, it was a long time ago. I'll tell you about it tonight ok. For now, back to work we have this case." Hotch slipped back into unit chief mode.

"Tonight then Hotch. I'll be ready" JJ, walked to the door and called for the team in the bullpen.

As the team reassembled in the BAU room and quieted down Hotch stood before them. He had to make sure each of them was going to be ok with a relationship between he and JJ before any more cases were dealt with.

"Listen everyone. JJ and I are going to try to make a go of whatever we are feeling for each other. We have to keep it out of the workplace obviously. So we've agreed that here at work I'm just Hotch and she's just JJ. Privately we're Aaron and Jen. But you all have to be ok with this for the continuity of the team. We need to know now if this is a problem for any of you before we go any farther." Hotch made his speech and sat down next to JJ.

Their team looked back and forth from them to each other broad smiles spreading across their faces. It was Rossi who spoke for the team.

"Aaron, Jen…." He purposely used their private names. "This group is more than just a team, we're a family and as such your family is telling the both of you that we are ecstatic for you." The declaration was simple and sincere and Aaron squeezed Jen's hand under the table.

"Thank you all really from both of us." JJ said to her friends. "That means a lot"

"Well now that that's over with I want to know about the hair donation thing" Morgan badgered.

"It's like Hotch said before Derek. Pen, JJ and I are donating our hair to this group so that they can help women feeling unflattering things about themselves after going through something as traumatic as cancer. It's really not a big deal and our hair will grow back" Emily told Morgan.

"Hey, girlie don't get uptight I think it's a great idea. Maybe you gals can find more women in the bureau to do the donation."

Rossi perked up. Derek was onto something. Might be a good thing if the FBI did such a charity drive. He was going to pitch it to their Section Chief later.

"We'll see my Chocolate Adonis." Garcia said. "Our appointment ladies is in two weeks on Saturday at 10:30 AM. We still good to go?"

"Good to go Pen." Both JJ and EM agreed.

**Another Two weeks later**

The day of the donation dawned brightly. It seemed weird to JJ how much her life had changed in two weeks. She and Aaron were together always, either for work or in private. She loved coming home with him and spending their nights quietly together. Whether the night consisted of just dinner and a movie on Pay Per View or they made love each night was special to both of them. JJ was spending so much private time at Aaron's that she had her own section of his closet and a couple draws in his dresser. Last night he made love to her as if it was their last night together. She wasn't complaining really but it was weird. She had mentally made a note to talk to him this morning over coffee. She had gotten up first showered and dressed for her 10:30 appointment. She was downstairs making coffee and a quick breakfast when she heard him come into the kitchen. She fixed him a cup of coffee and placed it before him at the kitchen bar.

"Thanks babe" he smiled brightly at her.

"Can I ask you something?" JJ said.

"Sure anything, with you I'm an open book remember?" Aaron chuckled but he knew her well enough to know this was something serious.

"Last night you seemed so urgent making love to me. Like it was the last time you would be making love to me ever." JJ gushed out.

Aaron got up and walked around to her. He gathered her in his arms kissed her forehead and said "I'm sorry babe if I worried you. I guess with what's happening today I was feeling like last night was the last night with 'this' Jennifer" he ran his fingers through her long hair.

"Oh, Aaron…..I'll still be me and my hair will grow back." She tried to soothe him. "You aren't upset because Hailey had short hair at the end?" she left off 'of your marriage.'

"No. JJ, NO!" My feelings have absolutely NOTHING to do with my bitch of an ex-wife. "She was taken about by his vehemence towards his ex-wife. He knew he was too harsh and tried to soothe her feelings "If you want the truth, I'm sort of looking forward to seeing you in short hair. Sure I'll miss your long hair, because I love to run my fingers through it. But I'd be lying to you if I said I haven't fantasied about you with short hair since finding out you were doing this. I think you're going to be even sexier. I happen to like short hair on a woman." He smiled at her.

"Really?" she was confused.

"Really!" he laughed happily.

"Well then Mr. Hotchner get your cute ass dressed. You're coming with me. And when we get there, you get to tell the high priced stylist who's doing this just how short you want my hair. It's all your choice." She beamed at him.

"Really?" He was shocked.

"Really" she said very adamantly.

"Even if I want it really short?" He asked trying to find his boundaries.

"Yes, even if you want it really really short" she stood on her toes and kissed him.

"Wow…. Ok honey, I hope you like my ideas." He chuckled.

" I love you…. So of course I'll love your ideas" JJ smirked.

Hotch stopped dead in his tracks at her words. He slowly turned to her, the look of stunned disbelief written all over his face. "What did you say?" he squeaked out.

I said "I love you" she emphasized the word 'love'.

Aaron damn ran to swoop her up and spin her around two feet off the ground. When he put her back down he grabbed her face between his hands "I love you too Jen." He said and kissed her passionately.

"We'll pick this up later babe, right now get ready Pen and Garcia will be waiting for us." JJ laughed.

"Just think, I'm going to get to make love to two different looking women in one day. Every man's fantasy. And I get to design my own second woman" He smiled seductively.

"Careful there Hotchner I might just take a razor to your head and make you look like Morgan" JJ giggled.

Aaron laughed and went to get changed and they two of them headed towards the Locks of Love ™ donation center.

Walking in hand and hand Aaron and JJ saw Emily, Garcia, Morgan, Dave and Spence already there. After a round of hellos the group was joined by Sandra Cummings the Director of Locks of Love ™ and Damian Michaels the stylist, plus his team.

"I'm so happy to have you all hear today. Your donation will certainly go to a good cause. Now as agreed we are already in the process of making Megan's wig for her. It should be ready in about a week. Ms. Garcia informed us that all three of you will be making the donation is that right." Sandra said to them.

"Yes, we will be Ms. Cummings. However, I have one request." JJ asked.

"Ms. Jareau correct?" JJ nodded "What's your request."

"I want my boyfriend Aaron here to be able to tell Damian how he wishes my hair to be styled, right down to how short it's cut." JJ stated.

The BAU team stared at JJ and Hotch in shock.

"I don't' have a problem with that if you don't Sandra" Damian said.

"Absolutely no problem at all Ms. Jareau" Sandra smiled. "Now who goes first?"

"I'm going first." Emily said "Then Penny and finally JJ"

"Very well" I'll leave you in Damian's capable hands.

Emily and Pen were real easy to cut and style. Both women kept their hair very similar to what they had only shorter. After Damian was done adding a few highlights to the women's finished haircuts everyone agreed they looked fabulous.

Now it was JJ's turn. Damian and Aaron had been off by themselves for a little while the other girls were waiting for their highlights to take. JJ was a little nervous about how short Aaron wanted her to go, but she trusted him and sat down in the chair to wait her turn. Aaron had come over to her and knelt in front of her. He gave her a big kiss, which brought on a round of giggles from the team. Grinning at his team Aaron looked at JJ and whispered "I love you and I want you really short" he exaggerated the word really, and gave her a seductive smile.

"Oh" was all JJ could say.

Damian put her hair in a tight pony tail close to the base of her neck. He asked Aaron if he wanted to do the honors and handed Aaron the shears. As Aaron cut through her beautiful tresses the team was changing "One….Two….Three" and her ponytail was freed.

Damian cut the front and sides to be more manageable before doing the final styling. JJ jumped a little when he actually plugged in a razor and began shortening the back of her head to barely a half inch long. Damian had left the hair on the sides and front of her head longer so it formed points on the sides and wispy bangs in front. He then cut her hair in layers around the rest of her head to make the whole look symmetrical. When he was done he spun her chair around to face her friends.

"WOW, JJ" Reid looked at his friend in awe. "It's short, but you look… you look…breathtaking."

"For once Reid you took the words right out of my mouth" Morgan agreed with him.

"Pumpkin…. It's stunning…. Really…." Garcia gasped.

"Jayje…..I can't believe its you…. It's so so short in the back but my god you look fabulous. "Emily said to her friend then turned to Hotch "Hotch man its perfect. Who knew you were a closet hair stylist."

"Cara…. If only I was 20 years younger I'd give Aaron a run for his money. You look amazing." Rossi said.

"Thanks guys… It kind of feels amazing. I like it." JJ said shaking her head. She turned to Aaron who was standing to the side a giant smile on his face. JJ walked up to him and twirled around so he could see her whole new look.

"What do you think? Did I come out like you expected?" JJ asked him smiling.

Aaron took her by the back of her head, feeling the short shaved hair on his palms and fingers, and getting a tingling feeling as he pulled her tight to him and kissed her passionately.

"Oh god JJ, you look and feel amazing." He said taking both hands and running them through her hair and massaging the shaved part of her head. "I love you so much baby." He kissed her again.

Rossi cleared his throat to finally separate the two lovers.

"Sorry." The said sheepishly together.

"I don't know about you guys but I'm hungry" Emily said. "What do you say we go get some lunch."

There was a chorus of 'I'm in's"

"Sandra, Damian thank you so much" Garcia said to their hosts.

"No thank you all. It's been wonderful. And Ms. Jareau you do look absolutely stunning with your hair that short." Sandra Cummings told her.

"Thank you. I had a wonderful stylist and designer" JJ giggled.

"Aaron my boy." Rossi said "You do realize that you're going to have every hot blooded American male looking at her."

"Yep Dave I do, but then again I'm authorized to carry a weapon….. or two." Aaron snickered. He took JJ by the hand and headed outside to join his friends. "You do look amazing love." He said to JJ. "I can't wait to get you home and make love to you." His voice was low so only JJ could hear him.

"I can't wait to get you home and have you hold my head while I suck you dry." JJ winked her voice equally as low.

"I've created a monster" Aaron laughed at her.

JJ happily thought that he had gotten more out of this donation then she had given. She'd have to send Megan an extra thank you.

The End.


End file.
